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Get Hooked on Valdez

Sport Fishing

The Prince William Sound in Valdez is a premier fishing destination. Open year round, our waters are home to of all species of salmon, rockfish, lingcod, and some of the most accessible halibut in Alaska. You can drop a line from shore, drive your own boat or take a charter into deeper seas. Either way, you’re likely to catch enough fish to eat for dinner or fill up your freezer.

There are other fishing opportunities in some of our nearby lakes and rivers. Ruth Pond, centrally located in town, has trout that kids or adults can fish for. Fish & Game keep this lake stocked with trout each year. Blueberry Lake, located in Thompson Pass, is stocked with Rainbow Trout.

If you like a good compition and the potential of winning lots of money, Valdez is home to the oldest fish derbies in Alaska, awarding thousands of dollars in prize money each year. Young and old, all skill levels, the thrill of reeling in a record-breaking fish will keep you coming back for more.

Fish Hatchery

Solomon Gulch Hatchery presents a unique opportunity to observe salmon as they return to spawn. The Hatchery is located across the port on Dayville Road en route to Allison Point. Completed in February 1983 to ensure sufficient numbers of salmon return each year, the facility is licensed to incubate, rear and release 230 million Pink Salmon, and two million Coho. With a concerted effort from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the City of Valdez, the Solomon Gulch Hatchery annually imprints and releases 105,000 King Smolts from the Fish and Game Fort Richardson Hatchery.

The Valdez Fisheries Development Association (VFDA) goals are to produce an annual return of 10 million Pink salmon, 100,000 Coho and 10,000 king salmon. The best time to view salmon at the hatchery is July through September.

Bears, eagles, sea gulls and sea otters can be found feeding on the fish. Fishing is prohibited within 300 feet of the premises. Please respect all wildlife, especially maintaining a safe distance from any bears in the area. Bears are wild animals and can be dangerous.

Take the self-guided walking tour along the fish ladder and view how the hatchery spawns the fish. The self-guided walkway is open daily, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., from May to October.